TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Kathleen Kelly, Interim General Manager/Chief Executive Officer
SUBJECT: Operator Hiring and Retention Strategies and Long-Term Leave Analysis
BRIEFING ITEM
AGENDA PLANNING REQUEST: ?
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider receiving a briefing on the status of the Human Resources Department's efforts to address hiring, retention and long-term leave challenges that are currently impacting Bus Operator availability, including trends and strategies for improving operator availability. [Requested by Directors Walsh and McCalley - 9/25/24 & 12/11/24]
Staff Contact:
James Arcellana, Interim Executive Director of Human Resources
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - High-Performing Workforce
Initiative - Employee Recruitment, Training and Retention
Staff's activities directly support service continuity and workforce optimization by improving hiring and retention efforts and minimizing disruptions through the curtailment of extended leaves.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no budgetary or fiscal impact associated with receipt of this report.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
In May of 2024, staff provided a report on hiring and retention strategies in response to the request of the Board. In September of 2024, the Board requested an update on this report. In December of 2024, the Board requested a separate report analyzing long-term leave usage within the District and in particular, as it relates to the number of operators out on long-term leave.
This report covers those topics in context of addressing bus operator availability, including some successes in recent hiring and retention. It also addresses the impact that long-term leaves have on bus operator availability, and highlights progress in developing a pilot Modified Duty program.
Status of Hiring and Retention Efforts
The chart below provides a high-level look at the Bus Operator hiring trends for AC Transit for the past three years:
The District has shown growt...
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